New Media Lifestyle

New Media Lifestyle                                                                                  (Word Count: 314)
My husband and I like the television and the VCR because our family watches them all together in the living room. TV was safe to watch because all my family members watched and enjoyed the programs together at appropriate times. I like the TV because it is family friendly.

The story of the computer was not the same. Our family bought a computer in the late 1990’s. The three of my children got used to the computer because they used it as an educational tool for their schoolwork. On the other hand, my husband and I were ignorant of how to use the computer. We only used it as a typewriter. Eventually, Daniel, my older son, began using the computer to play games later and later into the night. When my husband found out that he was staying up late during the weekdays, he went crazy. The family war began.

My husband thought that the computer was the devil. He broke several game machines that Daniel had received as birthday gifts. Daniel responded to his father’s actions by throwing a temper tantrum.

 One day, my husband bought a lab top and started learning to use the computer with his friends. Even Daniel was helping his father to learn how to use the computer. 

Both of us also realized how much Daniel knows about the computer. He can even fix the computer when it is broken. When I need help with the computer, he is an excellent assistant. I have come to realize that he is a model of this contemporary era. While it is hard for the older generation like husband and I to catch up to the pace of the new generation, we continue to learn from the new generation in the process.

The computer tore us apart, and then it brought us closer as a family. 

Is the Sleeper Curve of Pop culture Advantage?

Nam Yoon

AMST 325

Can the Sleeper Curve of Pop Culture Turns out Good?

Many Y generation people are newer pop culture friendly. Johnson argues that the Sleeper Curve’s cognitive skills make a child smarter although it is not the righteous pathway. When a child constantly plays video games or watch violent television dramas and juvenile sitcoms, he will be smarter because he will be developed cognitive skills in his brain. In fact, much young age of children watch TV shows or cartoons are smarter which the children have a sense of understanding the story in a higher level than their age without chronological steps to decode. The young ones become having preteens mindset without balancing of their physical growth. 

word-count 120

Hanna Montana's Audience and the Market

 

 

Nam Yoon 03-09-2009 AMST 325 Dr. King

 

 Hannah Montana, the Audiences and the Media Marketing

After the technological revolution and civil rights movement in 1960s, in many ways, America is a leading popular cultural nation. Also, producers and consumers approach differently from “Top-Down (producer-control-consumer)” to “Bottom-Up (consumer-control-producer)” to popular culture. The Web 2.0 which the two- way communication makes possible to both producers and consumers have their authorities to control. By the World Wide Web (www) and the ability of the media convergence (Sign of Life in the U.S.A., Maasik and Solomon,434), and the authors emphasize that the Americans are eventually  popular culture (vi). Hannah Montana a television show  in  Disney’s TV channel is not only a main character in the show but also she is a singer, rock star  and a contributor in man. Hannah Montana is to analyze who and what makes her so popular, and why?

Who is she? Hannah Montana is a main character in a Disney channel TV series. The half –hour sitcom is about a 14-year-old girl, Miley stewart, regarded by many of her middle-school peers as an outcast geek who has a secret identity by night as the pop sensation Hanna Montana. She plays as a Rock star at night in the show. Her real name is Destiny Hope Cyrus, and she was born on November 23, 1992 in Franklin, Tennessee. Cyrus has two elder half-brothers, and an elder half-sister, and a younger brother and sister (Miley Cyrus as Miley Stewart). Cyrus is a smiling little child when she is young.  Therefore, her father Billy Ray Cyrus calls her nickname Miley, and she uses it in the show. When she was nine, she first appears on Billy Ray Cyrus’s TV to play a young girl name Kylie.

What makes her so popular?  Cyrus is a passionate performer . On march 24,2006, when she turns twelve year-old, Cyrus is chosen for the Disney’s Hannah Montana production because her energetic and live performance.  According to the New York Times, “the half-hour sitcom is about a 14-year-old girl (named Miley Stewart), regarded many of her middle-school peers as an outcast geek, who has a secret identity by night as the pop sensation Hanna Montana.”  (goole.com, 03-08-2009).  The series of first episode, its opening night’s movie “High School Musical,” the concert tickets are all sold out. The Hanna Montana show attracts views from age 6-14 the program averages more than 3.5 million viewers. This new pop sensation has led to marketing opportunities for Disney. Disney’s Hannah Montana has produced Miley Cyrus Album, “Hannah” Clothing, toys, games and other lines of “Hannah” accessories in hope that the viewers who watch the show will buy them. (www.horsecreekpublications.com, Amazon). The Disney company carefully zoom to it’s comsumers to sell things out.

Cyrus’s positive attitude toward her audiences possibly makes her popular. Their age range is 7 to 73, USA Today’ Biography Resource Center collected the audiences’ questions and Cyrus’s answers. A seven-year-old Emma Goodman asked if Cyrus ever rode a school bus. Cyrus answered to Emma that she rode one time with her friends. Also, a 73-year-old Jimmie Forehead asked if Cyrus know that a lot of older folks enjoy Hannah Montana, and he added that he thinks it is the funniest show on TV. He also enjoys Cyrus’s concerts, too. Cyrus answers that grandmas are the ones buying te most of the concert tickets (USA Today, Jan 30, 2008 p02D). Her audiences are from very young children to up to 73-year-old. Fun and lively are the two big reasons the audiences enjoy Cyrus’s perform.

            In real life, Cyrus does her daily chores. She makes her bed and clean up her room at home (goole.com). According to her, his father advises her to do her own work as a role model say,”… Be good to them (audiences).” The famous country singer Billy Ray Cyrus’s daughter now becomes famous.

There is some negative perspective Cyrus’s double life. Kate’s mother sees Montana’s perform as hyper-pubescent mixture of rock’n roll, and that is marketing and suggestive lyrics.

 

 

Kids Consuming: Hannah Montana and Disney 's Strategies

'The More Factor,' Kids Spending: Big and Getting Bigger: Results Navigation: Format and Delivery Options, Portable Digital Devices and Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: A Tale of Two tweens: Miley Cyrus with her father... are going to be used to analyze children marketing, children spending, and the historic background of independence of children in President Hoover's policies in the 1920s. Children-friendly marketing and their strategies, the mass of children's response and the effect for the children's future, and the expectations of the American society will be interesting to research. I am going to focus my concentration on Hannah Montana who is a popular icon for children and gather more information on her and how the marketing companies use her to reach out to the children and how it affects the popular culture.

- Nam

 Word Count: 132

Popular Culture and Me in America

I was shaped by popular culture through surrounding people, radio, television and World Wide Web.

Korean community was one way to get to know the popular culture in America. When my husband and I first came to America, we were guided to a Korean church in Prince George’s county. After six days of work, a pleasant place to go was the church. It does not matter how much we were tired. Singing, eating and communication were the main aspects that I liked to go. My husband and I joined the choir. I was interested to practice songs Saturdays and Sundays. The members became our friends and shared our lives. Also, we ate lunch in Korean food every Sunday. Therefore, I was influenced in Korean church community in early American life.

            Radio was a way to get popular culture in America. While I was driving on the way, I could listen to the Family radio channel. It was a good source to train my ears to listen in English. I’ve also come to listen to what my children listen to such as pop, hip hop, and r n b. Although I do not fully understand what the lyrics mean, I can understand why these young adults listen to popular music.

 

Television was a media that transmitted the popular culture. Was the Full House in Fox channel in 1980s?  The three men characters as roommates, Danny’s three daughters and related neighbors impressed me. Through the TV, I could see part of American families’ lives. The way they talked, and the way they ate, and the way they interacted in their daily lives. In the new land, when my husband and I did not have any relatives here, the TV program was a good source to look at them. One noticeable thing was the young daughters’ mother was not there. While these characters are fictional, each episode can almost emulate life experiences that many people go through on a daily basis. While these shows such as Full House are entertaining there are some moral or lesson that can be learned through every view. The TV show reflected some families in America.

            Exchange e-mail and surf web-site are revolution to me. While I was taking computer literature, I was fairly new to the internet and the email. I did not know how easy it is now to send letters to my family back in Korea. It saves money and time, and email also allowed real time communications. It was made my relationship with my professors stronger. Whenever I had a question or any comments, I would email my professor and my professor would email me back at her convenience. Email has changed the way I communicate to colleagues, friends and family.

 

Word Count: 457

 

 

 

Post #1: Participatory Media (Web 2.0)

I was born in a small from village in Korea. Until I was in 4th or 5th grade, the village did not have electricity or lights. Therefore, I walked to school and back home. Also, we did not have a car to drive. I did not have a radio until that time too. I never rode a train until I was in middle school. I have traveled abroad to America for the first time via airplane in June 1982. That began my American life. I had three children who were all born in America. I was really busy and was unable to care for my children due to work for thirteen years. I rarely had a time to watch television in my American life for thirteen years. Also, I never drove for fourteen years. I was just busy to live my primary and family life.

Web 2.0 as participatory media seems like to distinct some old age or modern people from new age people. I have a chance to take a look at what my children are doing on the computer. All three children, they have their own individual facebook or myspace sites. Specifically, my younger son does break dance for fun and has his own videos on youtube. I do not know how people are able to find his video. They not only find and view the video but they also comment about my son, Isaiah's break dancing abilities. The way, most young people comments, exchange their pictures or information and interact. Some even meet online and become friends in their real lives. I am really amazed for young people's multi-task on a computer. While they are chatting they are able to listen to music and do homework. I think it is a good opportunity to learn participatory media. When I clearly learn web 2.0, I will feel there is no more gap from my children or new age people.

I have some reasons to avoid participatory media such as facebook or youtube: no time, ignorance and fear psychologically to join them. First, I do not have enough time. Home, workplace, campus and church are my active way to spend time. No time to participate the active media site. Second, I am not very familiar to join the media. I never thought I could create my own blog. Thankfully, I am learning how to write blog. Third, it is hard to catch up the new-ager's speed. I see my children type and surf  on the computer fast, and their computer. Finally, I fear to join them because I think there are some gaps between the age groups and generation.

Word Count: 440

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